Happily Ever After: After The Adventures
by Dark Goddess1
Summary: An epilogue series for GouGou Sentai Boukenger: The Next Generation. Includes a new ending. Involves both generations of Boukenger.
1. Masumi's Muse

Title: "Happily Ever After: Masumi's Muse"

Author: Trinity

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger/GouGou Sentai Boukenger: The Next Generation

Rating: G

Pairing: Masumi Inou & Natsuki Mamiya

Spoiler warning: end of both series

Masumi sat in front of his computer, hemming and hawing and sighing. He promised himself, the day he married Natsuki, that he was going to write a book about them. He even got himself a literary agent a publisher and was even given the advance he needed, but there was one problem: the book had to be marketed as fiction. The publisher and his agent refused to believe that his adorable wife was the last of an ancient civilization and that he'd been a treasure hunter who had gone after such things like Pandora's box and had nearly been seduced by a half human ninja.

Masumi being Masumi, he'd argued that all of it was true, but when he began to get laughed at, he gave up and marketed the book as fiction. He hated the idea of doing that, especially since Natsuki was so eager to read it and she'd be heartbroken to learn that it was strictly fiction (he knew he'd have to change the part about Sakura-neesan playing idol reporter), but hopefully, the novel would be a success and he could afford to feed his twin girls Belle (Rin) and Aurora (Hikari), now three months old.

Suddenly, Natsuki came into the room, holding the carriers that held his twin joys in them. "Masumi! Natsuki thinks you've been working too hard and that you should play with the girls. Maybe that will help you think of something to write for your novel."

In response, both girls cooed and made gurgling sounds and Masumi smiled. "Just in time, Natsuki. I could use a little inspiration."

Natsuki beamed and Masumi felt his heart melt. She was just as beautiful and radiant to him as she'd eve been and she laughed as she scooped up baby Hikari and twirled her around, singing a soft song to her. Natsuki had given Masumi so much. She'd given him love, light and laughter, her hand in marriage, her heart and now, she'd given him two beautiful twin daughters, who would grow up and be just as lovely as their mother (provided one of them didn't get his teeth).

What did Masumi have to possibly offer Natsuki in return? She'd given him everything he could have ever possibly hoped and dreamed for, but what could he give back to her?

Suddenly, Natsuki embraced him from behind and squeezed him tight. "Natsuki just knows that Masumi's book will be successful. She can just feel it!" She gave Masumi one of her big, charming smiles. "Masumi, even if the book doesn't become a hit, Natsuki will buy all the copies just so she can say that her Masumi wrote them all."

Masumi looked at her and she smiled again before going over to pick up a rattle and talk baby talk to Rin and Hikari. He smiled softly to himself, suddenly filled with inspiration and he began to tap furiously on his keyboard, the words he wanted to say pouring out of him.

His gift to Natsuki would be this book…it would be their love story.

Fiction be dammed, at least it would get read.

Natsuki squealed when she saw Masumi writing. "Oh look, Rin, Hika-chan! You gave Daddy some inspiration!"

_No, Natsuki….** you're the inspiration.**_ He thought as he turned back to his draft.

_One year later…_

Natsuki put down her copy of "The Most Unusual Love Story Ever Told" and smiled. She'd been upset when the book had been called a novel, but Masumi explained that there was some stuff in it that was just too fantastic to believe. Now, after reading it, she was happy. It was a wonderful book.

Masumi came charging into the room, careful not to wake the girls and just beamed.

"It's a bestseller." He said. "1 million copies sold in the first week alone. The publishing house hasn't seen numbers like that since the last Harry Potter."

Natsuki squealed and jumped up and down. "Does that mean it's a success?"

At Masumi's nod, Natsuki just leapt into the air and threw her arms around him. "You did it, Masumi!"

A loud scream from the newly awakened Rin put a halt to Natsuki's joy.

"Drat." Natsuki muttered. "Natsuki woke Rin-chan."

Masumi chuckled as he followed his wife to soothe their daughter and smiled at the copy of the book lying on the coffee table.

Leave it to Natsuki to bring people joy in all forms…that was how she could be his inspiration for everything.

_I love you, Inou Natsuki._


	2. Coping

Title: "Happily Ever After: Coping"

Author: Trinity

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger/GouGou Sentai Boukenger: The Next Generation

Pairing: Kando Takaoka & Aurora "Hikari" Inou

Rating: G

Summary: Kando copes with his sister's death, his upcoming marriage to Hikari and his newfound duties as an uncle.

Kando's life after he came home to 2031 had just become perfect. He had a devoted girlfriend turned fiancé in Inou Hikari; he'd gotten a new brother in law and was expecting to become an uncle very soon. He had his parents back and finally, his father could put his Ashu hunting days to rest.

And then, 2 months after their return, Kei died in childbirth and everything just seemed to fall apart. For his father, the loss of someone close was nothing new, but because it was his only daughter, it just devastated him. His mother just shut down and Kando wept for days.

But Kando was the only one who understood that they couldn't afford to lock themselves away. Kei had left behind her husband, Satoru and her twin son and daughter, Akashi Masaki and Akashi Kyoko. Her children needed their family, even though they didn't know it. Right now, they just needed their mother.

Because Satoru was having difficulties even LOOKING at his children, Kando decided to fulfill his duties as an Uncle and take care of his niece and nephew. They were adorable and cute and completely unaware of what was going on.

Another thing that Kando couldn't let Kei's death disrupt was his wedding to Hikari. Kando had had a lot of difficulties convincing Inou Masumi to even let him marry Hikari and he couldn't put it off indefinitely. Kei would have wanted it to go on, even though she wasn't there to see.

But Hikari wasn't so sure. "Are you sure you want to go on with this, Kando?" she asked him one morning over breakfast at their shared apartment. "I mean, we can put it off…"

"Hikari-chan, my nee-chan would want us to go ahead with this. She's probably wondering why everyone's so sad." He paused. "And why Satoru-san can't look at their children."

Hikari pushed her food around with her fork. "Satoru-san is heartbroken. Have you seen him? It looks like he stopped eating, stopped sleeping and just lies awake in his bed, crying. It's awful…but doesn't he remember about his babies? Kei-san died giving life to them and he promised to take care of them. Don't they need their father, too?"

"I guess Satoru-san looks at them and he sees nee-chan's face and then he can't look at them anymore. They're reminders of his heartbreak. But he needs to stop mourning my nee-chan and get on with his life! He has his children to think about!" Kando banged his fist on the table. "What do I have to do? Beat it into him!?"

"Kando-kun…" Hikari looked up at him.

He sat back down. "I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to…let's just focus on the wedding, okay? I'm sure Satoru-san will pull himself together."

Hikari nodded, but bit her lip. She knew how close Kando and Kei had been before Kei died. She knew that planning this wedding would be difficult for the Takaoka family. "Kando, I'm serious. We can postpone this. I don't want to put anyone through any difficulties."

"The show must go on!" Kando announced. "Nee-chan will be there…just not in the way she wanted to be."

Hikari nodded and smiled. "Yes…she will be there."

The days passed and the wedding slowly began to come together. Kando actually managed to get Satoru to remember that his children needed him and convinced him to be a father.

The wedding day came and Kando's eyes kept straying to where his sister would have sat and his heart grew heavy. But his smile was bright. Kei was watching out for him, he just new it.

After the ceremony, Kando and Hikari were walking out of the church and Kando paused for a moment.

His sister and grandmother and grandfather were there.

"Good luck Kando!" The younger Kei said when she saw her little brother. "I'll be looking out for you!" She smiled and vanished and Kando thought he'd cry.

"Kando, what is it?" Hikari had asked.

"Nee-chan was here, Hikari." Kando murmured. "She was here all along…just not in flesh."

As he and Hikari drove away, Kando was convinced he saw his sister with the cheering throng of people and his smile grew wider.

He knew then, that no matter what…Kei was always with him.


	3. Afterlife

Title: "Happily Ever After: Afterlife"

Author: Trinity

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger/GouGou Sentai Boukenger: The Next Generation

Characters: Kei Takaoka-Akashi and Grandma Kei

Rating: PG

Summary: Kei ponders afterlife and wonders why she had to die. She then meets her grandmother. Alternate ending to "GouGou Sentai Boukenger: The Next Generation"

Takaoka Kei was dead. Takaoka Kei was currently a spirit wandering around some desolate desert world, clutching a hand mirror and peeking into it to see how the people she left behind were doing.

And as most people who die young tend to be, she wasn't handling her current status very well.

Kei hadn't wanted to die. She'd envisioned a happy future for herself. She'd see her little brother marry Hikari, and raise her children and have the things she wanted. Death by childbirth was not in the plan.

And she couldn't even imagine the guilt Masaki and Kyoko would feel once they grew up. Their birth had accompanied her death. It wasn't fair. It simply wasn't.

And the fact that Kei was in the afterlife ALONE didn't help. She wanted to be human again, alive again. She wanted to bury herself in Satoru's arms and hear his heart beat. She wanted to watch Hikari and Rin pick their wedding dresses and walk down the aisle. She wanted to help her father in his shop and go on an adventure. She didn't want to be dead.

Kei stopped in the sand and plopped down and began to cry. She missed everything she left behind. This couldn't be true. She couldn't be dead!

"Kei?"

The voice was soft and melodic and it sounded familiar. Kei turned around and she saw…her grandmother.

"Grandma?" Kei asked and the Ashu smiled, running to Kei and embracing her.

"Oh, my darling!" Ashu! Kei cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Haven't you heard?" Kei asked. "I'm dead. I gave birth to two beautiful children and then I died." She sniffled. "My babies will grow up without me!"

"I know what that's like." The Ashu murmured, sitting down next to her namesake. "I died after Eiji was born. I was sort of thankful for it. I was terrified that I would be killed and my son stolen and raised as Ashu. It's not a life I wanted for him."

The younger Kei sighed. "Satoru, my husband, he won't even look at them now and my parents and younger brother are taking care of my children. It's heartbreaking."

The older Kei nodded. "I made sure to always look after Eiji as he grew up. I wished to be there but knew that Kando had it under control."

"If I remember correctly, Grandfather didn't tell Dad about the Ashu part of himself." Kei muttered.

"My little Kei." The older Ashu murmured, taking her granddaughter into her arms. "This was not what I wanted for you. I didn't want Ouga to get you, too."

"What do you mean?"

"Kei…Ouga cursed you." The older Kei sounded sad. "I suppose he did it when he turned you to stone. He cursed you and made it so that when you gave birth, you couldn't recover and you died. He did the same thing to me when he learned about my pregnancy. Because of him, I lost my life." She sounded bitter. "And here I thought he loved me."

The younger Kei began to cry uncontrollably. "I lost my life…because of his hate?"

"Ouga hated me for leaving, my son for existing and in extension my children? So he cursed me, running my life and ended it! And I went back to stop him and he ruined everything! HE RUINED MY FUTURE!" Kei began to kick the sand around her and the older Kei just let her cry it all out.

The older Kei sighed. "He does that." She smiled sadly. "You miss your children, don't you?"

"I barely knew them and they'll never know me." The young Kei sighed. "I would give anything to go back and be their mother. I always wanted children, but…at the cost of my own life…"

The older Kei understood and she smiled.

"Close your eyes." She said to her granddaughter.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Kei sighed and closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself lying in a hospital bed, Satoru sobbing next to her and she realized something.

She was alive. She was ALIVE!

Kei shot up in bed and looked at her sobbing husband. "Satoru?"

Satoru stopped. "Kei?"

Kei began to cry. "Satoru!" She threw her arms around him. "Satoru!"

Satoru embraced his wife, crying tears of joy.

Kei looked up and looked into the mirror and then she saw her grandmother there, smiling.

_Did I dream the whole thing?_

It didn't matter. Kei was alive now and she could have the future she dreamed of with Satoru and Kyoko and Masaki. She smiled.

_I wish you could share this with me, Grandmother._

_I wish I could share it with you, too. But I am happy just to watch, Kei…be happy and remember I'll always be looking after you. Always._


	4. Faking It

Title: "Happily Ever After": "Faking It"

Author: Trinity

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger/GouGou Sentai Boukenger The Next Generation

Character: Satoshi Akashi

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Up to epilogue 1 of "GouGou Sentai Boukenger: The Next Generation"

Summary: Satoshi watches his father marry his Superior and attempts to be happy about it.

Kei Takaoka has always been, at least in my eyes, the most beautiful woman in the world. I've loved her since I was young. It seems that I have spent my whole life in love with her and fighting with Tsubasa-san over her. Too bad neither one of us got our hooks into her.

Instead, we lost her to, of all people, the younger version of my father. He charmed his way into Kei-sama's heart and suddenly, I was forced to watch as my father and my superior shared kisses, nights of passion and now, wedding vows. I hate Kei-sama.

Why couldn't she have fallen for Tsubasa-san? Why am I even sitting here _watching_ this?

Because despite my dislike of her now, I still care about her. She invited me to her wedding and expected me to come. It would have broken her heart if I didn't show up. But just because I'm here doesn't mean that I'm going to be happy about it.

Kei is coming down the aisle now, being escorted by the older version of her father. She looks beautiful in her pale wedding dress, with the white cherry blossoms in her hair. You can't really see the swell of her stomach beneath the dress, but I know it's there. Just thinking about it makes me furious.

My father is glowing with happiness. It's sickening.

Eiji-sama has let go of Kei-sama and now Kei-sama and my father are smiling. I want to throw up.

I have to admit that Kei-sama looks ridiculously happy and I can't help but smile a little. She hasn't looked so happy since before Kai-san died. I should probably try to deal with this in a mature way.

God, they're exchanging vows and I can't get this damn smile off my face!

And the minister is asking if any of us object and I want to do that. I want to stand up and scream, "YES! I OBJECT! I don't want Kei-sama to be my step-mother!"

But I can't. Kei is happier than she's been in years. My father is smiling and he looks happier than he does back in my own time. I haven't seen my father smile in a long time. So, in the interest of keeping my father and Kei-sama happy, I shut my mouth.

I don't want to be accused of ruining my superior's happiness. I remember how Kei looked when I said that I was glad my father was possibly dead. She looked devastated and I hated myself for saying such a thing. I should be happy for them. I want to be happy for them.

I'm trying, but it's hard. Seeing them makes me miss my mother, whom I never see. I feel like Kei-sama's replacing my mother. I don't want her to replace my mother. I may see Kei-sama more, but…I don't want her to be my mother.

I look down at my lap as Kei and Dad walk up the aisle and everyone else throws cherry blossom and rose petals on them. I want to cry, but the tears won't come.

So, I put on a fake smile and watch them leave. And as I watch them go off, the tears finally do come, because now I feel like my family's been destroyed.

And it's all Kei's fault.


End file.
